


Cupid's Kiss

by pashaimeru



Series: Defying the Light [1]
Category: Original Work
Genre: Angels, Bad Ending, Corruption, Explicit Sexual Content, F/F, Magical Girls, Mind Control, Original Character(s), Purification, Transformation
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2021-01-04
Updated: 2021-01-04
Packaged: 2021-03-15 00:14:10
Rating: Explicit
Warnings: Rape/Non-Con, Underage
Chapters: 7
Words: 7,139
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28554438
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/pashaimeru/pseuds/pashaimeru
Summary: A young magical girl receives angelic aid in her fight against monsters. But is her new ally all that she seems?
Series: Defying the Light [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/2092122
Comments: 1
Kudos: 24





	1. Chapter 1

”T-Twin Comet!” A spiralling wave of white and pink shot forth from the tip of Star Tulip’s staff, tracing a beautiful streak of light in the air as it impacted against the demonic beast. The magical girl only barely managed to avoid the counterattack, beam of burning hot energy fired from the creature’s mouth slightly scorching the glossy pink fabric of her frilly outfit as she flew out of the way.

This monster was the toughest one she’d ever fought. A creature of fire and shadow, screeching with hatred at her as she charged up another attack. The civilians down below, some fifty feet under her, had stopped cheering for her and were now gazing upwards with quiet worry. Tulip wished they would just run; right now, the monster was focused on her, but there’d be nobody to protect them should she fall. “T-tough one, are you?” Tulip said, trying to sound much braver than she was feeling. “Try this one for a size! Blooming Spear!”

Demonic beasts weren’t intelligent in a way a person would be, but they were cunning predators. The sharp beam of pink light, aimed at the monster’s core, missed by an inch; the beast had seen it coming. Screeching triumphantly, it used the opportunity to lunge forward, claws of shadow and hellfire already reaching towards the magical girl to tear her apart…

_“Lumis!_ ” came a voice from somewhere behind Star Tulip. A barrier of shimmering light appeared between the monster and the pink magical girl. The dark nails of the beast pierced through it—and then burned away, the creature letting out its most unearthly wail yet.

“H-huh?” Tulip floated backwards and away from the monster, turning around to get a better look at her unexpected saviour.

It was another magical girl—one Tulip had never seen before. Light blonde hair, silver eyes, a magical girl uniform of the brightest white. Wings of magical light extending from her back, gossamer and brilliant; there were strings of pearls around her wrists and neck. She was so impeccably beautiful and pure, that for a moment, Tulip thought she was seeing an angel. “Careful,” The magical girl said, her tone soft but serious. “Let us take care of it before we talk, shall we?”

Tulip swallowed and nodded.

The barrier was dissipating. The creature, blinded with hatred and fury, opened its mouth wide again and fired another beam at the girls. Tulip flew left to avoid it; the other girl gracefully glided away to the opposite direction, confidently raising her hand and speaking out a few soft syllables. _“Una us eslou’sot!”_

Spears of light came down from the bright blue sky, skewering the creature. It thrashed and wailed, the magic burning it like acid. Rather than just float there with her mouth agape, Tulip managed to get enough of a grip to point her staff at the creature. “B-Blooming Spear!” This time, it was a direct hit. The beam of pink energy cut through the demonic beast’s core—and it vanished away from the bright blue sky.

The people below the pair had finally found their voices again, enthusiastically cheering at the pair. The white magical girl paid them no mind, instead offering Tulip her hand, along with a slightly vacant smile. “Shall we go somewhere more private?”

Tulip took it. It was surprisingly warm. “O-okay…”


	2. Chapter 2

Any magical girl knew that the best place for a quiet conversation was on a rooftop. The ability to fly made them easily accessible, and one could be quite sure no-one was there to listen in.

“I’m Diamond Glow,” the white magical girl said, giving a polite little curtsey. “Good job out there.”

“N-no, it’s all thanks to you…” Star Tulip mumbled, bowing back. She could feel her cheeks redden. With how strong the other girl was, it was quite clear she could’ve handled the demonic beast all on her own. Tulip might’ve finished the monster off, but she couldn’t help but to feel that Glow had simply let her do so out of courtesy. “I’m Star Tulip. Um, thank you!”

“It is quite alright,” Glow said, smiling gently at the other girl. “All that matters is that everyone is safe, yes?”

“M-mm…” Tulip said, nodding and giving the other girl a look over. Magical girls in their transformed forms were pretty a rule. Tulip was no exception. With her frilly pink dress with ribbons and ruffles, the heart-shaped hairclip on her pink hair, the delicate little heels on her legs, anyone would’ve agreed that she was cute as a button.

Diamond Glow was pretty, too, but she was unlike any other magical girl Tulip had seen. For one, magical girls tended to be _colourful_. The pure whiteness of the other girl made her look ethereal, like something not quite out of this world. There was an odd tranquillity to her that made Tulip feel slightly uncomfortable. Her brilliant silver eyes were like the surface of a mirror, bright but oddly vacant. Her voice was soft and soothing like fine silk, yet it rang a bit hollow. Tulip couldn’t help but to feel intimidated by her, now that they were alone. If there was such a thing as an entirely pure person, Glow must’ve been one.

“Is there something wrong?” The white magical girl asked, her silver eyes never leaving Tulip’s own.

Tulip shook her head. “N-no! It’s just… who are you? I haven’t seen you around.”

Diamond Glow smiled. “I am not from around here. Please forgive me for intruding,” she said, giving another little curtsey.

“No! I mean, it’s fine! I was just surprised…” Tulip said, feeling her cheeks heat up once more.

There was only a small handful of magical girls active in the town, and Tulip knew them all. She often worked alongside them, but the demonic beast today had come as a surprise, and with no allies around to help, she had to face it on her own.

It had been nearly two years now since the time the demonic beasts first had started to appear. Tearing through rifts of shadow, hunting for mortals, ripping them apart or dragging them screaming into whatever hellish world they came from. Some thought of them as actual demons, the religious association an obvious one to make. Whatever they were, though, conventional weapons worked poorly against them; a worldwide panic ensued soon after their invasion, things calming down a bit only after the sudden appearance of the magical girls.

Young girls around the world suddenly gained the ability to transform into magical girls, with the power to fight back against the beasts. Just like how no-one knew where the demonic beasts came from, no-one seemed to know where magical girls gained their powers from, either. But they were the only ones able to combat the sudden new threat to mankind, and they soon became Earth’s first—and last—line of defence against the monstrous incursions.

Tulip herself had gained her powers mere months ago. Given Diamond Glow’s level of power, and the fact that she looked a year or two older than Tulip, she probably had quite a bit more experience in this than she did. Clearing her throat, Tulip looked up at the white-winged magical girl. “I probably would’ve been in trouble if you hadn’t come to help. So… thank you,” Tulip said, shuffling her feet. “You’re really strong.”

Diamond Glow winked. There was something a bit artificial to the gesture, Tulip felt. As if the other girl tried to look mischievous without quite knowing how to _be_ mischievous. But maybe she was being unfair: the other girl was weirding her out, but she didn’t seem like a bad person. “It is not all my own power, you know.”

“N-not your own?” Tulip asked.

“That’s right. The light you saw, the light that burned away the evil—it is not innate to me,” Glow said. “In fact, it is something any magical girl can acquire. A sacred light. The power to defeat demons.”

“O-oh…” Tulip said, unsure how to respond. She had to look away from the intense gaze in the other girl’s silver eyes, finally realising _why_ it was that she was making her feel so uncomfortable. There was something deeply spiritual to her. She carried herself like a fanatic, intense in her faith. “I-is this a religion thing? I’m not really into any of that, sorry. I’m just out here to help people. Whether these monsters are demons or whatever, I—“

The other magical girl giggled a bit. “Oh, no. Please do not misunderstand me. It is not like that,” she said, shaking her head gently. “I mean it. I can help you acquire the same powers as I just used.”

A magical girl’s magic was unique and innate to themselves, as far as Tulip knew. There weren’t any spells or techniques one could teach to others. So, there was plenty of reason to be sceptical, but…

“I only want to help,” Diamond Glow said, conviction in her voice. She seemed as sincere as can be.

“F-fine,” Tulip relented, letting her shoulders slump. “So, how do I learn it…?” she asked. Maybe there wasn’t a reason to be so sceptcial. One didn’t become a magical girl if they weren’t good at heart—it felt wrong not to trust a comrade, religious zealot or not.

The other girl smiled brightly. “Regarding that, there is someone I would like you to meet. Would you be free tomorrow afternoon?”

“Eh? I s-suppose…”

“Then, how about three o’clock? Do you know the gazebo in the central park? Perhaps we could meet there.”

Tulip swallowed. “O-okay. I guess.”

“Wonderful,” Diamond Glow said, curtseying once more. “I will be off, then. Be careful, okay?” Walking off the edge of the roof, she hopped off—and flew away, leaving the pink magical behind, feeling dumbstruck.


	3. Chapter 3

“I’ll be off, mom! I’m gonna see a friend!” Azumi said, putting on her trainers.

“Okay. Have fun!”

“Mm! I’ll be home for dinner! I think…”

Ayukawa Azumi—Star Tulip—had never told her mother of her identity as a magical girl. Many magical girls never did, for few parents would be okay with their young daughters risking their lives fighting otherworldly shadow monsters. Azumi didn’t like lying, but it was easier on both her and her parents than the alternative. Having them worry sick about her whenever she was out doing her duty would’ve just made things complicated. It was a white lie, or so she told herself.

Likewise, she had never revealed her real identity to her fellow magical girls. As far as she knew, most of the magical girls in town knew each other by their real names, but Azumi preferred to compartmentalise; she wanted to keep her life as a junior high student and her life as a magical girl entirely separate. As much as she believed it was her duty to save people and protect them against the incursions of the demonic beasts, she didn’t want that to define who she really was. Deep within her heart, she was Ayukawa Azumi, an ordinary student—not Star Tulip, the flashy pink-costumed magical girl.

Diamond Glow had picked a sensible meeting spot for them. It was some distance off the main road through the park, out of the sight of joggers and those walking their dogs. Making sure nobody could see, Azumi transformed into her magical girl form and took flight, landing between the trees just outside of the gazebo.

“Oh! Star Tulip. Welcome.” Diamond Glow was there already, likewise in her magical girl form, sitting on the bench that circled the interior of the gazebo.

There was no-one else in sight. “Ah, um, hello!” Tulip said, making her way inside. “So, who was I supposed to meet…?”

Glow gave her a gentle smile. “Just a moment. Oh, there she comes.”

The third girl was in ordinary clothes, not in a magical girl uniform like Tulip and Glow: a blue blouse, long skirt and white sandals; the only accessory she was wearing were a pair of simple pearl earrings. Despite that, Tulip thought, she was as cute as any magical girl she’d ever seen—possibly more so. Her golden blonde hair flowed like silk down her shoulders all the way down to her waist; her skin was soft and smooth, pale like a doll’s but with a healthy radiance on her cheeks. Her eyes were bright blue, the colour of sunlit ocean, and when they met Tulip’s own, she offered her a brilliant smile. The pink magical girl could feel her heart skipping a beat.

“Hello!” The girl said in a bright, energetic tone, in stark contrast to Diamond Glow’s tranquil voice. “You must be Star Tulip, right? You can call me Dorothy.”

“Y-yes! Hello!” Tulip said, giving a hasty bow. “T-that’s right, I’m Tulip…”

“Hehehe. No need to be nervous, Tulip,” Dorothy said. “Please, take a seat!”

Tulip did as asked, stiffly sitting down on the gazebo bench, opposite from Diamond Glow. But she couldn’t stop her heart from racing, nor could she tear her eyes off the other girl. It was strange: Tulip had never thought of herself as someone attracted to girls, but there was something special about Dorothy. It wasn’t just the fact that she was _cute_. Glow was beautiful, too, almost inhumanly so, but she didn’t give her butterflies in the stomach the same way Dorothy did. Feeling meeker than ever, she looked up at the blue-eyed girl with flushed cheeks, unsure what to say.

“I’m going to show you something special, Tulip,” Dorothy said. “But I’m going to want you to keep it a secret, okay?”

Tulip nodded. What else could she do? Captivated by the girl’s presence as she was, she wasn’t about to say no.

And right in front of her eyes, Dorothy transformed. It wasn’t into a magical girl, however. There was no fancy uniform, no sparkle of magic; it was something far more subtle than that. Pure white wings extended from the girl’s back, feathery and smooth. Tangible and real, unlike the wings of light that Glow was sporting in her magical girl form. A glimmering golden halo appeared on top of Dorothy’s head and an aura of warm white light surrounded her body. Her clothes hadn’t changed, but her presence had. She was no magical girl—she couldn’t be anything but a real angel.

Tulip caught herself staring with her mouth dropped open. “W-wow…” she mumbled, though that word hardly conveyed how she felt. Though many had searched far and wide, beyond demonic beasts and magical girls, there had never been a trace of anything else supernatural. And before her eyes stood a _real angel_ , holy and pure. Tulip had never believed in angels before, but she couldn’t deny the sight before her eyes.

Dorothy’s appearance reverted, the wings and the halo gone in the blink of an eye. She giggled, and smiled, and sat down on the gazebo bench right next to Tulip, taking the magical girl’s hand to her own. Normally, Tulip would’ve shied away from the touch, but right now she was too besides herself to even react.

Dorothy’s hand felt warm. And soft. Captured by her smile, Tulip took a moment to find her voice again. “Y-you’re an angel…”

“That’s right!” Dorothy said brightly. “It’d be a huge hassle if people heard about this, though. You understand, right?”

Tulip nodded. That was probably true. The demonic beasts had already riled up religious factions around the world. Who knew what trouble the knowledge of the existence of actual angels would cause? “Y-yeah…” she mumbled. “I won’t tell. I promise!”

Dorothy gave her hand a reassuring squeeze. “We’re here to help you. The magical girls and all of humanity. Those creatures you call demonic beasts, we want to help you defeat them. We want to grant you the power to protect this world you hold dear.”

“The light you saw before, Tulip,” Diamond Glow said in her soft voice. “Was granted to me by the angels. It is their Light.”

That made sense. It had burned the demonic beast like no magic that Tulip had ever seen. Glow’s ardour felt more understandable now as well, given that she had met with—and had been granted powers by—literal angels. “I-I get it. So, they really are demons, then,” Tulip said.

“Something like that!” Dorothy said brightly. “So, are you in?”

“I-in?”

“Yes! Do you wish to have the same power that Diamond Glow has?”

Tulip finally managed to wrest her eyes off the angel, glancing at her fellow magical girl instead. Diamond Glow was smiling at her in her slightly vacant way, her silver eyes revealing very little. If it had been just her making the offer, Tulip would’ve likely refused. But Dorothy…

Tulip’s heart skipped a beat again as her eyes met with Dorothy’s own. The angelic smile she was giving her seemed to dissipate all doubts from her heart. “O-okay. I’d like that,” she said, a bit uncertainly at first before shaking her head. “I mean, I’d really like that! I want to be strong like her! I want to help everyone!” What was there to even think about? She had almost died just yesterday. And if she had died, who knows how many others the demonic beast might’ve slain? She needed all the help she could get. _Humanity_ needed all the help it could get in their fight against the monsters. Magical girls alone could only do so much. And what could be a better ally to have than actual angels?

“Hehehe, excellent!” Dorothy squeezed her hand again. “In that case, could you please come with me? There’s a place I want to take you to.”

Tulip hesitated, just a bit. “Is it going to be long? I promised I’d be home for dinner…”

“Hmm…” The angel tilted her head. “It won’t take long, I promise. Oh, but I think it’d be a hassle if you went in like that. It’d be best not to draw any attention.”

“R-right,” Tulip said, hesitating a bit before smiling back at the angel. What exactly there was to worry about? Taking a deep breath, she undid her transformation, reverting to her usual form.

Dark hair, grey t-shirt and inexpensive jeans. Outside of her flashy magical girl form, Azumi was as plain as it got. Feeling a bit self-conscious, she scratched her head with her free hand.

Dorothy giggled a bit. “You’re cute like this, too, Tulip!” she said, giving her a reassuring squeeze with her hand and standing up. “Come on, let’s get going!”

“Y-yeah!” Azumi replied, her heart throbbing.

“Have fun, you two,” Diamond Glow said. “I will resume my patrol of the town.”

“A-alright. Take care!” Azumi had expected Glow to come with them, but secretly, she was glad she didn’t. Spending time with Dorothy, with just the two of them—well, she couldn’t think of anything more exciting than that.


	4. Chapter 4

Dorothy never did let go of Azumi‘s hand. A part of her knew she should’ve been feeling extremely self-conscious about it. She was a shy girl, and the idea of holding hands with someone in public—especially with someone as unbelievably cute as Dorothy was—would’ve filled her with panic under any ordinary circumstances. But right now, she absolutely didn’t want to let go. She held tightly onto the soft, warm hand of the angel, barely watching where she was going, unable to take her eyes off the girl’s cute features. Her little nose, her bright blue eyes, her apple-red cheeks—and most of all, her lips. Every now and then, Dorothy would look at her and flash her a smile, and every time Azumi felt like she could melt where she stood, her knees weak and wobbly.

In no time at all, though, their little walk together was finished. Azumi found herself in front of what looked like a small church, or perhaps a temple. The architecture was difficult to place: a blend of western and eastern styles, it borrowed elements from a variety of faiths without clearly being attributable to any single one. The building was new: Azumi could remember it still being under construction just a couple of weeks ago.

Beyond going to the shrine over every New Year’s, Azumi’s family never practiced any kind of a religious observance. A building like this was alien to her. Under ordinary circumstances, she’d have been suspicious of the place, assuming it housed some new-age religion or a cult, but right now, she was under no state of mind to give the matter much thought. Dorothy dragged her inside by hand, and she followed like an eager puppy, completely taken in by her new friend.

“Let’s take off our shoes!” Dorothy said cheerfully, only finally letting go of Azumi’s hand.

Azumi did as asked, taking a good look around the temple. The simple entrance hall led into a chapel, floor pillows arranged in a circle around a central statue, a tall marble sculpture depicting a faceless angel with hands folded in prayer. There was a handful of people around. Young men and women in white robes: they didn’t seem like priests or monks, just members of the faith. Upon seeing the pair, they bowed deep—reverently so. Taken aback, Azumi returned the gesture before realising it wasn’t her, exactly, that they were bowing to. It was to Dorothy.

“D-do they know that…?” Azumi whispered quietly, feeling much more at ease when the angel took her hand again.

“Mm! Don’t worry about it,” she told Azumi, before waving at the others. “Don’t mind us! I’m just showing my friend around!”

So, there were people who knew Dorothy was an angel. Were there other angels? Other temples like this? Azumi was just a bit too overwhelmed to ask, instead meekly following the angel around on the little tour. It wasn’t a large temple. Beyond the entrance hall and the main chapel, there was just a handful of other rooms. A storage chamber, a changing room, bathrooms, an office and a small private prayer room with a miniature version of the white angel statue. There was nothing too weird or unexpected, the religious nature of the place aside.

“So, what do you think?” Dorothy asked brightly.

“W-what do I think…?” Azumi said, scratching her hair. “I-it’s nice, I guess. I’m not really used to places like this, though.”

“Hehehe, I figured,” the angel replied. “Do you want to try praying?”

“E-eh?” Azumi blinked. “Um, I d-don’t really…”

“Tulip,” Dorothy said gently. “We angels, we’re all born of the Light. It heals and it protects. It destroys evil and cleanses impurity. It leaves everything it touches better than it was. It’s that Light that grants Diamond Glow her powers. And… I want you to feel it too. To feel its warmth and love. Only by accepting it into your heart may you gain power from it. And only through focus and understanding are you able to do so.”

“O-oh.”

“If it helps…” Dorothy smiled. “You don’t need to think of it as praying. Just think of it as meditation, or reflection. Besides, I’ll help!”

Azumi gave a weak nod. “O-okay then. I suppose that makes sense.” The image of Diamond Glow came to her mind. Blank silver eyes and vacant smile. Dismissing the image with a quick shake of her head, she looked at Dorothy. “How do we…?”

“Follow me!” The angel said, cheerfully leading Azumi down into the small prayer room, out of the sight of the others. “Kneel down there. Put your hands together and close your eyes. I want you to simply… focus on sensing the Light. Do you think you could do that?”

“I-I guess!” Still feeling uncertain, Azumi nonetheless did as asked. Kneeling on the pillow on the soft tatami floor and looking up at the statue before closing her eyes, she folded her hands and drew a deep breath, feeling a bit silly. “Okay…”

Dorothy put her hands on her shoulders, resting them gently. It was a reassuring gesture; Azumi found herself relaxing, the strangeness of the situation bothering her just a little less. “Good,” the angel said gently. “Now, just focus…”

Azumi did—and she could feel it. A warmth in her chest. Mild at first, but rapidly spreading outwards, the feeling growing more intense by the moment. She gasped, but didn’t resist, letting the sensation swell within her. There was peace; a quiet sort of joy. All her anxiety seemed to melt away into the Light, dissipating entirely. It enveloped her fully, spreading all over her as an aura of warmth. It seemed to touch her very soul. Seeing her for what she was, soothing her, accepting her. It reminded her of her mother’s embrace: it was like love. Deep, all-encompassing and unconditional.

And… it was scary, as well. She felt naked before it. Defenceless. _Small_. She had never felt so exposed and vulnerable in her life. It would have been all too easy for Azumi to sink into this feeling, to let the Light wash over her, to let it seep into the deepest reaches of her soul, to expose her every fear, every vulnerability, every sin. All humans had some darkness within them, even magical girls. That was what being a human was all about. And in its perfect brilliance and purity, the Light was anything but.

“N-nuh…” Azumi recoiled, opening her eyes and gasping for breath. She had never felt so good in her life. She had also never been so afraid. Her cheeks felt wet; was she crying?

“Shh,” Dorothy said, gently hugging her from behind. “It’s okay. You did well, Tulip. That’s enough for now.”

Azumi stood up and turned around, slowly, looking into the bright blue eyes of the angel through her tears. And without even thinking about it, her body seemingly moving on its own, wrapped her arms around Dorothy’s waist—and kissed her on the lips.

It was clumsy at best. She had never kissed anyone before. But Dorothy didn’t seem to mind; she leaned into her, their lips locked together, the pair stayed in a quiet embrace for a while.

No-one had ever told Azumi just how intense love could feel. Or how nice it was to surrender to it.


	5. Chapter 5

From that day on, visits to the temple became a daily routine for Ayukawa Azumi. She was immediately accepted by the other faithful, no questions asked. A white robe was found in her size, and she soon found herself praying with the others in the main chapel. Little by little, the Light became more familiar and less frightening. Small and vulnerable as it still made her feel, it came with a promise as well—a promise that it would take care of her no matter what. That it would accept her; that it would take away her sins and leave her better, stronger and purer as a person.

Gaining powers like Diamond Glow’s would not come instantly, Dorothy later told her. She would have to _truly_ accept the Light, to understand it for what it was, to become worth it before she could channel it through herself. But even if she did not yet have the ability to destroy demonic beasts with it, the Light _did_ make her strong. She found herself more confident, more cheerful. She felt less tired; it was easier to focus on her schoolwork and her magical girl duties alike. She did the dishes without being asked to. She told her mother she loved her. Those close to her noticed the change, of course, but positive as it was, no-one seemed too bothered by it. Azumi didn’t tell her parents about the temple; she had promised to keep Dorothy a secret, and she certainly didn’t want them to think she had joined some strange cult.

Dorothy was there some days, and some days she was not. It was more difficult for Azumi to concentrate on her prayers when the angel was gone. Azumi truly loved her, more than she had ever loved anyone in her life. Her heart fluttered as she daydreamed about her in school; at nights, she hugged her pillow, imagining Dorothy next to her.

In the two weeks since kiss, many more of them followed. They had even gone on a date, once, heading to a nearby pastry shop for some tea and shortcake. She had barely held herself back from gushing to her friends about it—though given her sudden change in behaviour, they were already reasonably certain she was dating someone.

“Dorothy! Hi!” Azumi waved at her as she entered the temple one Tuesday afternoon.

The angel giggled and ran up to her, kissing her on the cheek. A few white-robed faithful nearby looked at the display and smiled. They certainly wouldn’t judge; there was no judging here, in the temple. The Light accepted everyone. “Hello!” she said, grabbing Azumi into a hug. “How was school?”

“It was fine!” Azumi said, her cheeks red as she looked her cute girlfriend in the eyes. “Um, nothing special!”

“Well, that’s good! Make sure to keep up with your studies. I wouldn’t want to be a distraction!”

“Ehehe, n-no, of course not,” Azumi replied, shuffling her feet. “L-let me go get changed. Just a minute!”

“Okay! I’ll be here!”

Ducking away into the changing room, Azumi took a deep breath. She really had had to hold back from just kissing the angel on the lips right then and there. The fact that the two of them were lovers was no secret in the temple, but doing something like that in public was still a bit too much for her…

The jeans and the shirt were quickly changed out in favour of the white robes, symbolising the peace and purity innate to the Light. Loose and comfortable to wear, they were long enough to reach down to her shins. Embarrassing as it first had been to wear something like this, with nothing underneath, Azumi had nonetheless quickly gotten used to them.

She smiled at Dorothy as she stepped into the chapel proper, kneeling on a pillow and silently praying towards the grand marble statue. As usual, she let the Light wash over her, seep into her, fill her with its warmth and love. Sinking deeper into that state of oneness with it, letting it touch her very soul…

…Only, this time something was wrong. The sinking wouldn’t stop. It was getting harder to think, her own thoughts muted and blurry as the Light filled her like an empty vessel. It _burned_ her. Burned something inside of her, something buried deep, something antithetical to the Light but important to _her_. For a moment, it almost seemed as if she might’ve gone too deep to ever get back up again. It took her a moment to remember where she was, or even _who_ she was. There was a searing pain, a sense of existential dread, and she struggled and struggled, and—

“N-n-no!” she shrieked out, falling to her side, kicking the air with her feet. The chapel around her looked just a bit too bright, as if someone had turned up the lights. It took Azumi a moment to realise that she herself was glowing. Her hands, her feet, her whole body, glowing with a faint aura of light. “W-what is g-going…?”

The white-robed faithful stared. A few looked surprised. A couple of them smiled. No-one looked too concerned. Before Azumi could fully get her bearings, though, Dorothy was already there, taking her hand to her own and helping her up. “Are you okay?” she asked, her tone gentle. Like the others, though, she didn’t look all that worried. “Can you walk?”

“W-what was that?” Azumi asked, her heart racing with fear. “I-it felt like I was… I was disappearing, or…”

“Shh,” the angel said, squeezing her hand. “It’s okay. Come on, let’s not bother the others,” she said, tugging the magical girl along and leading her towards the prayer room. Disoriented, Azumi didn’t know what to do but to follow.


	6. Chapter 6

Dorothy closed the door behind her. “Please, sit down,” she said.

Azumi did, seating herself on the soft tatami floor. “W-what happened? What was that?” she asked again, her eyes wet with tears. The Light had _burned_ her, and she had only barely managed to pull back. It felt as if she had stayed like that any longer, some part of her would have been reduced to cinders.

“I’m sorry if you found that frightening,” Dorothy said, sitting down next to Azumi. “It was just the Light. I could feel you were close to being granted its blessing. It must have felt scary, but…”

Azumi shook her head. “I-it didn’t feel like a blessing! It felt like… it felt wrong!”

“The Light doesn’t want to hurt you,” the angel said gently, laying her hand on top of Azumi’s own. “It exists to heal. To protect. To purify. And you got so close, this time. Shall we try again?”

“I…” Azumi said, looking into Dorothy’s beautiful blue eyes, losing herself in them for just a moment before shuddering and pulling her hand back. “N-no! I know what I felt. I don’t want to do this anymore. I might’ve—”

The angel leaned forward, and before Azumi could react, her lips were already locked against hers. It was a passionate kiss—much more so than any the two of them had shared before. The magical girl found herself embraced tightly, gently pushed down to the tatami floor. A part of her wanted to kick, or scream, or transform into her magical girl form to protect herself—but those thoughts were pushed away by the wave of heat and raw emotion that followed. Azumi was in _love_. So deeply it hurt. Suddenly, it was impossible to focus on anything but the angel’s soft lips and the warmth of her presence, the sudden resurgence of butterflies in her stomach. The terror in her heart didn’t subside, but completely enthralled by Dorothy as she was, she no longer knew what to do or how to resist.

The angel withdrew for a moment. She was in her true form, now. Feathery wings, a halo of light. Somewhere along the line, her clothes had vanished as well: she was entirely in the nude, her soft, flawless body glowing with a faint inner light. “I love you, Tulip,” she said gently, tugging up the hem of her white robe. “And I would never do anything bad to you. You know that, right?”

“N-n-no…” Azumi mumbled in a weak protest, entirely enraptured by the sight of the angel. She couldn’t resist as Dorothy undressed her. She only whimpered as she felt that soft hand reach under her bra to gently squeeze her chest, the other hand stroking her hair. And when the angel leaned down to kiss her again, any last vestiges of mental strength she had left collapsed and crumbled away.

She was kissed again and again. On the lips, on her earlobe, on her neck, on her developing breasts as Dorothy took off her bra. Azumi wrapped her hot body against the angel’s own, hungrily kissing her back, embracing her with as much of herself as she could. She had always thought of sex as something dirty, but this was anything but. The angel was as tender as it got, an unnatural love swelling within the magical girl’s chest, making her melt and submit in response to every single touch. Even when Dorothy’s fingers found their way into her panties, all she could do was to let it happen. Mewling like a helpless kitten, she was so utterly taken by the angel’s charms that she could no longer form a single coherent thought.

“Love…” Dorothy said, holding the other girl tight, her fingers stroking up and down her crease. “Love is the most important feeling of them all, isn’t it? Love is what makes a magical girl risk her life for the sake of others. Love is what unites humans, what inspires them to be good.”

Azumi whimpered, her body quivering under the angel’s soft touch. With a soft giggle, Dorothy continued. “And I love you. I want to save you, make you as perfect as you can be. There’s no need for you to keep holding on. All your flaws, your impurities, your mortality—I’ll cure you of them all,” she said, leaning to lovingly whisper into the other girl’s ear. “So please, surrender to love and join me in prayer.”

It didn’t take much more to push Azumi over the edge. With a final gasp, a last soft touch of her nub, a wave of pleasure rippled through her body and pulled her down into the Light. She could offer very little resistance; dragged deep, the Light filled her heart and her mind, only some primal—and very human—part of her left to internally scream and struggle against that vast ocean of purity.

A sob escaped her throat, her eyes blinded by the Light pouring out of her body. Dorothea gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek, holding her close as her very existence was being rewritten. Against her will, Azumi was being purged of all flaws and sins, every human frailty. Anger, envy, sorrow, fear—all burned away by the celestial radiance, any capacity to even feel them erased from her soul. Her still-human shell shuddered as the Light reached the deepest parts of her soul and began assimilating it unto itself. Forcibly joining her into the chorus of angels—purging her of her sorrows, her mortality, her free will.

At last, Azumi understood. To the Light, mortality itself was as much of an enemy as the demonic beasts were. Any capacity for evil was unacceptable to it. All impurity had to be eliminated. In the world it wished the create, there would be no hunger, no pain, no death, no greed. It would be forever unchanging and pure, every living soul assimilated within it. A world of radiance; a world of angels, every soul made to fit the perfect mould made for them, cleansed of free will and individuality.

The revelation did her no good. She had no more strength to fight. The last of her impurities were snuffed away, along with her sense of self; the soul that was left behind was a thing of pure Light, perfect and immortal, with no capacity for selfish desires or rebellion. An angel’s soul in a magical girl’s body.

“Good girl,” Dorothy cheered. “You finally did it! I’m so happy for you.”

Tulip stood up and transformed into her magical girl form, scorching away her former identity for good. White dress; platinum-white hair; wings of light and eyes like dim silver pools. “Thank you, Dorothy,” she said, smiling at the angel. “For saving me.”

She felt the angel’s unconditional love towards her, and she loved her back. The girl known as Ayukawa Azumi was no more. She was Star Tulip: a warrior of the Light, a protector of humanity, inhabiting this mortal shell until it would be no longer needed. And she felt better than ever before: the little fears and anxieties she had as a mortal girl were now gone for good. She had clarity, now, a sense of purpose and belonging. Her will now an extension of the Light burning within her.

The two of them embraced passionately, sharing a deep kiss. They would both have their own purpose from here on out. This might be the last time in a while that they’d have a chance to be close to each other like this. But it didn’t matter. The Light united them; it left them incapable of loneliness or sorrow. And when this world would be purified, they would have an eternity to spend in love.


	7. Notes on the Margins

CASE STUDY: DEMONIC BEASTS

Creatures from a world of shadow and fire, hungering for mortal souls. Impurity embodied, they’re personifications of hunger, pain and hate.

A world cleansed of impurity is beyond their reach. They must be starved out.

CASE STUDY: CUPIDS

Low-level angels, wielding power over the sphere of romantic love.

The relative weakness of a cupid compared to most other angels makes summoning one an easy affair. The more powerful an angel is, the more difficult it is for them to maintain existence in an impure world; as such, lower class angels such as cupids are essential for the first stages of the invasion.

A cupid’s ability to easily disguise oneself as a mortal, and their ability to influence mortal hearts within the sphere of love, contribute towards a successful infiltration. A cupid can make mortals fall in love with either herself, or with each other. Physical contact with the target expedites the process greatly; in addition, he more deeply a mortal is affected by the Light, the easier it is for the cupid to influence them.

Mortal love is selfish and flawed, riddled with anxieties, fears and base desires. Divine love is unconditional and pure, existing only for its own sake.

CASE STUDY: PURIFIED HUMANS

A human soul is a beautiful thing, but deeply flawed. Despite having capacity for great good, there’s also potential for unfathomable evil. A full purification of a mortal soul is required to cleanse this stain.

Purification is achieved by taking the spiritual essence of a mortal soul and transmuting it into pure Light. What follows is a mortal shell with a soul resembling that of an angel: far simpler, but incapable of evil and released from its base desires.

A purified mortal will not worry about the destruction of their shell. Upon death, their soul is re-joined with the Light, ready to be moulded anew.

CASE STUDY: MAGICAL GIRLS

Earth’s own immune response against outside invaders. The invasion of the demonic beasts prompted a response from the planet, magical girls infused with its energy.

Had the demonic beasts not first triggered the response with their invasion, the angels would have done the same with their arrival. Eventual conflict with the magical girls is inevitable.

Ending the life of a magical girl will result in the planet reabsorbing the energy invested into them. However, a purified magical girl retains the energy they were infused with, thus providing the Light with a useful tool while depriving the planet of a valued resource.

Only those of exceptional compassion, bravery and a sense of justice are granted the powers of a magical girl. At the same time, these very traits make them susceptible to the influence of the Light: despite their natural magical resistance, they will find it difficult to reject love and compassion when used against them.

A mortal soul yearns to be free of despair. A world without suffering can be made real. They must only be convinced it’s worth the cost.


End file.
